Agenda, decisions and minutes

10.1           The evacuation procedure, as noted on the Agenda, was advised to those present.

10.2           Members were reminded that the Council had resolved to introduce a Scheme for Public Speaking at Planning Committee for a 12 month period, starting with the new term of the Council in May 2015, which had therefore commenced with the meeting on 9 June 2015.  The Chairman gave a brief outline of the scheme and the procedure for Planning Committee meetings.

11.1           Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs J Greening and R J E Vines.  Councillor P W Awford would be acting as a substitute for the meeting. 

12.1           The Committee’s attention was drawn to the Tewkesbury Borough Council Code of Conduct which was adopted by the Council on 26 June 2012 and took effect from 1 July 2012.

12.2           The following declarations were made:

12.3           There were no further declarations made on this occasion.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 9 June 2015.

13.1           The Minutes of the meeting held on 9 June 2015, copies of which had been circulated, were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. 

14.1           The Development Manager submitted a Schedule comprising planning applications and proposals with recommendations thereon.  Copies of this had been circulated to Members as Appendix A to the Agenda for the meeting.  The objections to, support for, and observations upon the various applications as referred to in Appendix 1 attached to these Minutes were presented to the Committee and duly taken into consideration by them prior to decisions being made on those applications.

15/00295/FUL – 82 Gretton Road, Winchcombe

14.2           The application was for a proposed new dwelling on land to the rear of 82 Gretton Road.  The application had been deferred at the last Committee meeting for a site visit to assess the impact of the proposal on the surrounding area and the Committee had subsequently visited the site on Friday 3 July 2015.

14.3           The Chairman invited Councillor Judith Petchey, Chairman of the Winchcombe Town Council Planning Committee, to address the Committee.  Councillor Petchey indicated that the Winchcombe Town Council Planning Committee had objected to the application due to its inappropriate design and the adverse impact the structure would have on surrounding properties.  It was considered that the ultra-modern design would be totally out of keeping with other houses in the area.  Furthermore, the design did not accord with the Winchcombe Town Design Statement which had been adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance by Tewkesbury Borough Council some years ago.  A previous application for a more conventional design was granted approval and this had been supported by the Winchcombe Town Council Planning Committee.  Winchcombe Town Council Planning Committee asked that Committee reject the application.

14.4           The Chairman indicated that the Officer recommendation was to permit the application and he invited a motion from the floor.  It was proposed and seconded that the application be permitted in accordance with the Officer recommendation.  The proposer of the motion indicated that the National Planning Policy Framework did not comment on design ‘per se’ and every age left its own footprint.  Many contemporary buildings had been granted planning permission in the Borough, which he felt was a testament to the Council’s forward thinking.  Much had been made of the impact of the dwelling, however, he felt it should be noted that the proposal was 2m lower than the house which had been originally been granted planning permission and, due to the ground level change, almost 5m lower than the adjoining Redrow development.  The site occupied a discreet position behind the existing development on Gretton Road and the emerging Redrow development and there would be significantly less impact on the neighbouring houses as the dwelling would sink down in the landscape. For those reasons, he had no doubts about endorsing the Officer recommendation.  The seconder of the motion echoed those views and indicated that design was subjective, the professional Officers were satisfied with the integrity of the design and the quality of the materials and he could see no reason to turn down the application. 

14.5           A Member indicated that he could not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14a

15.1           Attention was drawn to the current appeals and appeal decisions update, circulated at Pages No. 28-31.  Members were asked to consider the current planning and enforcement appeals received and the Communities and Local Government (CLG) appeal decisions that had been issued.

15.2           It was

RESOLVED          That the current appeals and appeal decisions update be NOTED.

To note those applications which have been identified as being subject to a Committee Site Visit on the Friday prior to the Planning Committee meeting at which they will be considered.  

16.1           Attention was drawn to the Advanced Site Visits briefing, circulated at Pages No. 32-33, which set out those applications that had been identified as ones which would be subject to a Committee Site Visit on the Friday prior to the Planning Committee meeting at which they would be considered.  Members were asked to note the applications included in the briefing.

16.2           It was

RESOLVED          That the Advance Site Visits briefing be NOTED.